Read More

Crime

The victim refused when Flaherty asked him if she could look around his property and asked her to leave when she started to rifle through his belongings. She took his wallet and cash as she left.

On the same day she climbed through an open downstairs window in Grove Road where she stole cash and cards and then was caught on CCTV attempting to use the card at a shop in Blackbull Road.

In Charlotte Street at around 1pm another victim saw Flaherty standing by his back door. He also noticed his fence had been broken.

She claimed she’d jumped over the fence whilst trying to escape a man who was chasing her. She then asked if she could walk through the house and leave via the victim’s front door.

Arrested

However, instead of leaving Flaherty sat down in the dining room and asked for an ice pack. After she left, the victim’s wallet was gone.

Flaherty attempted to distract yet another victim that day but Kent Police officers caught up with her and she was arrested in Radnor Bridge Road.

She later pleaded guilty to four burglary charges, fraud, criminal damage and theft, which relates to an incident on June 20 where she stole two bottles of vodka from a supermarket in Hythe whilst on police bail.

Flaherty was sentenced to four years in prison at Canterbury Crown Court yesterday (July 19).

'A risk to the public'

Investigating officer Detective Constable Kelvin Lucken said: ‘Flaherty has repeatedly broken the law in order to fund her lifestyle and has shown she is a risk to the public.

"She left her fingerprints and DNA at the scene of most of these burglaries and was caught on camera trying to use the cards she stole.

"Thanks to this and the cooperation of all the victims, we’ve been able to see she serves time in prison for her crimes.

"Distraction thieves like Flaherty prey on a person’s good nature so don’t be afraid to turn people away regardless of their reason for knocking on your door."